P-15 Termit
Encyclopedia
The P-15 Termit is an anti-ship missile
developed by the Soviet Union
's Raduga design bureau
in the 1950s. Its GRAU
designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name
was Styx or SS-N-2. In Russian service today it also seems to be called the Rubezh. China
acquired the design in 1958 and created at least four versions: the CSS-N-1 Scrubbrush and CSS-N-2 versions were developed for ship-launched operation, while the CSS-C-2 Silkworm
and CSS-C-3 Seersucker were used for coastal defence
. Other names for this basic type of missile include: HY-1, SY-1, and FL-1 Flying Dragon (Chinese designations typically differ for export and domestic use, even for otherwise identical equipment).
Despite its huge size, thousands of P-15s were built and installed on many classes of ships from MTBs to destroyers, as well coastal batteries and even bombers (Chinese versions). The P-15 was quite successful in the conflicts where it was deployed.
which was air-launched from Tupolev Tu-16
s). A powerful but rather raw system, it had a short service life. The SS-N-1 was superseded by the SS-N-3 Shaddock. This weapon was fitted to 4,000-ton Kynda class cruiser
s and replaced an initial plan for 30,000-ton battlecruisers armed with 305 mm and 45 mm guns. Rather than rely on a few heavy and costly ships, a new weapons system was designed to fit smaller, more numerous vessels, while maintaining sufficient striking power. The P-15 was developed by the Soviet designer Beresyniak, who helped perfect the IB rocket interceptor.
s in the center and three control surfaces in the tail. It was also fitted with a solid-fuelled booster under the belly. This design was based on the Yak-1000 experimental fighter built in 1951.
The weapon was meant to be cheap, but at the same time capable of giving an ordinary missile boat
the same 'punch' as a battleship's salvo. The onboard electronics were based on a simple analog design, with a homing conical scanning radar
sensor. It used a more reliable rocket engine with acid fuel in preference to a turbojet.
Some shortcomings were never totally solved, due to the liquid propellant of the rocket engine: the acid fuel gradually corroded the missile fuselage. Launches were not possible outside a temperature range of -15/+38C°.
The missile weighed around 2,340 kg, had a top speed of 0.9 mach and a range of 40 km. The explosive warhead was behind the fuel tank, and as the missile retained a large amount of unburned fuel at the time of impact, even at maximum range, it acted as an incendiary device
.
The warhead itself was a 500 kg hollow charge (HEAT), larger than the SAP typical of anti-ship missiles. The launch was usually made with the help of Electronic Support Measures (ESM) gear and Garpun radar
at a range of between 5.5 and 27 km due to the limitations of the targeting system. The Garpun's range against a destroyer was about 20 km.
The onboard sensor
was activated at 11 km from impact, the missile would begin to descend at 1-2° to the target, because the flight pattern was about 120–250 m above sea level. In minimum range engagements there was the possibility of using active sensors at shorter distances, as little as 2.75 km.
The P-15U was introduced in 1965, with improved avionics and folding wings, enabling the use of smaller containers. It was replaced by the P-15M in 1972, which was a further development of the P-15U, with enhanced capabilities (its export simplified variants were designated P-21 and P-22, depending on the sensor installed and a whole export system was designated the P-20M).
after the Six Day War in 1967, the Israeli destroyer Eilat
was sailing at low speed outside Port Said
on 21 October, when from 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) she was attacked by two Egyptian Komars, each firing both their missiles from inside the harbour (they were acting as a coastal missile battery). The target was hit, despite the anti-aircraft fire soon opened against the incoming 'fireballs'. The first two missiles almost blew the Eilat in two, another hit soon after, the last exploded near the wreck in the sea. Eilat sank two hours after the first attack, 47 crew were killed.
In the 1971 India-Pakistan war, P-15 (NATO name Styx) missiles were used by the Indian Navy during Operation Trident
. Four Styx missiles were fired, two each at PNS Muhafiz (minesweeper) and PNS Khyber (destroyer), both of which sank. The Indian Navy reportedly fired 13 Styx missiles during the war, 12 of which hit, sinking several ships and damaging the petroleum storage facilities at Karachi.
The Chinese used this missile as a basis for their Silkworm
series, with IR, radar and turbojets or rocket engines depending on the model. It had a fuselage of 75–80 cm width and a mass of over 2 tonnes. This is comparable to the 600–800 kg and 35–40 cm of Western missiles. With improved electronics, the warhead reduced to 250 kg and the original rocket engine replaced with a turbojet, this weapon was much improved with a range of over 100 km. Chinese Silkworm missiles were used in hundreds of ships and shore batteries. The Chinese Navy built more than two hundred modified versions of the 183R (Komar-class), the Hegu-class, (complete with a longer hull and an additional 25 mm mount aft) and the Osa-class. Frigates and destroyers were also equipped with the missile. Some were exported and they were used in shore batteries built for North Korea, Iraq and Iran. The Soviet Union developed an equivalent, the P-120 Malakhit.
Chinese variants:
Substitutes of these missiles are the FL-2 and FL-7, which were solid-rocket fuelled and the C-701 and C-801, which were similar to the Exocet
and other missile systems, among them the SS-N-22
Sunburn, it was bought for Sovremenny class destroyer
s.
. Komar-class missile boats were deployed in Operation "Anadyr" ("Анадырь"), organized by the Soviet Union to help the Castro government. At least eight were sent in cargo ships, due partly to their small dimensions and were presumably left to the Cuban Navy after the crisis, together with many other weapons of Soviet origin.
against Israel
in October 1967, when Egyptian Komar-class fast-attack craft sank the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat
, scoring at least three direct hits. This was a milestone of modern naval warfare; for the first time anti-ship missiles displayed their potential, sinking the destroyer 17 km from Port Said
. After this engagement, interest in this type of weapon was raised in both offensive and defensive weapons such as the CIWS (Close-in weapon system
) and ECM.
, Indian Osa-class boats
raided the port of Karachi
in 2 highly successful operations causing severe damage and sinking several ships with their P-15s, among them the destroyer, Khaibar
. She was a former Battle
-class destroyer, originally designed as an anti-aircraft ship. Her armament might be effective against conventional air threats, (mounting 5 × 114 mm guns and several 40 mm Bofors), but had little chance against anti-ship missiles.
These raids were meant to strike Karachi and destroy the Pakistani Navy in Western Pakistan. The first action, Operation Trident, was carried out by three Osa on the night of 5 December http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE4-4/harry.html. 'Operation Trident' involved:
Around 20:30, a target was acquired by radar, at a distance of over 40 miles (64.4 km), and Nirghat fired two missiles. This target was the destroyer Khaibar, sailing at 20 knots (39.2 km/h). The crew of the ship saw a "bright light" in the sky, low on the water. Believing it to be the afterburner of a fighter aircraft, Khaibar opened fire with its Bofors guns, but these were not effective against such a small, fast target. The missile struck the starboard side at 22:45, destroying the electrical system. One of the boilers, possibly struck by the HEAT charge, also exploded. Despite thick smoke and a fire, Khaibar was still able to engage the second missile, again mistaking it for an enemy fighter. This missile struck the ship four minutes after the first, destroying and quickly sinking her.
During this action, Nipat attacked another two ships; the cargo vessel Venus Challenger, which was carrying ammunition from Saigon, was destroyed. Its escort, the destroyer PNS Shahjahan
was severely damaged and later scrapped.
Veer then attacked Muhafiz at 23:05, (she was a minesweeper that had witnessed the attacks against Khaibar); she was hit and disintegrated, throwing most of the crew into the water before she sank.
Nipat fired two missiles at the port of Karachi. This is the first known use of an anti-ship missile against land targets. Large oil tanks, identified by radar, were hit by the first missile, destroying it, while the second weapon failed. Over the following nights there were other ship actions. Karachi was again attacked with missiles, while Petja-class frigates provided ASW
protection to the Osa-class boats.
On the night of 8 December, in the second operation, Operation Python
, the Osa-class boat Vinash, escorted by two frigates, fired missiles at Karachi in a six minute action. One missile hit an oil tank, destroying it. The British ship Harmattan was sunk, the Panamanian ship Gulfstar was set on fire. The Pakistan Navy fleet tanker, PNS Dacca, was badly damaged and only survived because the commanding officer, Captain. S.Q. Raza S.J. P.N., ordered the release of steam in the pipes that prevented the fire reaching the tanks. Though anti-aircraft guns opened fire in response, they only managed to hit a Greek ship, Zoë, that was moored in the port and consequently sank.
In all these actions against large ships, the P-15 proved to be an effective weapon, with a devastating warhead. Out of eleven missiles fired, only one malfunctioned, giving a 91% success rate. This gave every Osa FAC
the possibility of striking several targets. Big ships, without any specialized defence, were targets for P-15s.
saw P-15 missiles used by the Egyptian and Syrian navies prove ineffective against Israeli ships. The Israeli Navy had phased out their old ships, building a fleet of Saar class FACs
: faster, smaller, more maneuverable and equipped with new missiles and countermeasures.
Although the range of the P-15 was twice that of the Israeli Gabriel
, allowing Arab ships to fire first, radar jamming and chaff degraded their accuracy. In the Battle of Latakia
and Battle of Baltim
, several dozen P-15s were fired and all missed. Arab ships did not posses heavy firepower required for surface combat against enemy vessels, usually only 25 and 30 mm guns, and Osa and Komar boats were not always able to outrun their Israeli pursuers. Several boats were subsequently sunk by missiles or gunfire, allowing Israel to gain sea superiority for most of the war.
against Iraq
in the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War, with some success. As the Iranian coastline is longer than Iraq's, control of the Persian Gulf
was relatively easy. Shore batteries with missiles can control a large part of this area, especially around the Hormuz Strait.
Iraq also acquired Silkworms, some with an IR
homing capability. Iraq used them against the IRIN navy but sustained heavy losses, especially from Iranian Harpoons and Mavericks
. By the way, Iraqi forces also combined SS-N-2, AS-4 Kitchen launched from Tu-22
, French-made Exocet
launched from Mirage F1
& Super Etendard
as well as Chinese-made Silkworm with C-601 launched from Tu-16
, H-6
bought from China to engage the battle against Iranian Navy.
in 1991, Iraq fired two Silkworm missiles at the United States battleship USS Missouri
. One of them was shot down by Sea Dart
s launched by HMS Gloucester
, a British Type 42 destroyer. This remains the only confirmed destruction of an anti-ship missile in wartime. (Another P-15 was believed to be shot down in 1972 off Vietnam by the USS Sterett
during the Battle of Dong Hoi).
The German Navy, after reunification, gave its stock of almost 200 P-15s to the United States Navy
in 1991, these weapons being mainly the P-15M/P-22. They were used for missile defence tests.
-started to phase this missile out
Morocco
South Yemen
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
developed by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's Raduga design bureau
MKB Raduga
MKB Raduga is a Russian aerospace company, concerned with the production of various missile systems and related technologies. It is headquartered in Dubna in the Moscow Oblast...
in the 1950s. Its GRAU
Grau
Grau is a German word meaning "gray" and a Catalan word meaning "grade". It may refer to:* BAP Almirante Grau , a De Zeven Provinciën class cruiser in service with the Peruvian Navy* Grau Käse, Tyrolean grey cheese...
designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
was Styx or SS-N-2. In Russian service today it also seems to be called the Rubezh. China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
acquired the design in 1958 and created at least four versions: the CSS-N-1 Scrubbrush and CSS-N-2 versions were developed for ship-launched operation, while the CSS-C-2 Silkworm
Silkworm missile
The Shang Yo or SY-series , and the Hai Ying or HY-series were early Chinese anti-ship missiles. They were derived from the Soviet P-15 Termit missile.The HY-1 and HY-2 received the NATO reporting name Silkworm...
and CSS-C-3 Seersucker were used for coastal defence
Coastal defence and fortification
Coastal defence , Coastal defense and Coastal fortification are measures taken to provide protection against attack by military and naval forces at or near the shoreline...
. Other names for this basic type of missile include: HY-1, SY-1, and FL-1 Flying Dragon (Chinese designations typically differ for export and domestic use, even for otherwise identical equipment).
Despite its huge size, thousands of P-15s were built and installed on many classes of ships from MTBs to destroyers, as well coastal batteries and even bombers (Chinese versions). The P-15 was quite successful in the conflicts where it was deployed.
Origins
The P-15 was not the first anti-ship missile in Soviet service; that distinction goes to the SS-N-1 Scrubber, (coupled with the AS-1 KennelRaduga KS-1 Komet
The Raduga KS-1 Komet , also referred to as AS-1 and KS-1 was a short range air-to-surface missile developed by the Soviet Union, and carried only on the Tupolev Tu-4K 'Bull' and, more notably, on the Tupolev Tu-16 'Badger'.Development was begun in 1947 along with a related ground-launched...
which was air-launched from Tupolev Tu-16
Tupolev Tu-16
The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has flown for more than 50 years, and the Chinese license-built Xian H-6 remains in service with the Chinese air force.-Development:...
s). A powerful but rather raw system, it had a short service life. The SS-N-1 was superseded by the SS-N-3 Shaddock. This weapon was fitted to 4,000-ton Kynda class cruiser
Kynda class cruiser
The Project 58 Missile cruisers, known to NATO as the Kynda class were the first Soviet missile cruisers and a considerable advance for the Soviet Navy. Their main role was anti-surface warfare using the SS-N-3b 'Shaddock' missile...
s and replaced an initial plan for 30,000-ton battlecruisers armed with 305 mm and 45 mm guns. Rather than rely on a few heavy and costly ships, a new weapons system was designed to fit smaller, more numerous vessels, while maintaining sufficient striking power. The P-15 was developed by the Soviet designer Beresyniak, who helped perfect the IB rocket interceptor.
Design
The first variant was the P-15, with fixed wings. The basic design of the missile, retained for all subsequent versions, featured a cylindrical body, a rounded nose, two delta wingDelta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
s in the center and three control surfaces in the tail. It was also fitted with a solid-fuelled booster under the belly. This design was based on the Yak-1000 experimental fighter built in 1951.
The weapon was meant to be cheap, but at the same time capable of giving an ordinary missile boat
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
the same 'punch' as a battleship's salvo. The onboard electronics were based on a simple analog design, with a homing conical scanning radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
sensor. It used a more reliable rocket engine with acid fuel in preference to a turbojet.
Some shortcomings were never totally solved, due to the liquid propellant of the rocket engine: the acid fuel gradually corroded the missile fuselage. Launches were not possible outside a temperature range of -15/+38C°.
The missile weighed around 2,340 kg, had a top speed of 0.9 mach and a range of 40 km. The explosive warhead was behind the fuel tank, and as the missile retained a large amount of unburned fuel at the time of impact, even at maximum range, it acted as an incendiary device
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
.
The warhead itself was a 500 kg hollow charge (HEAT), larger than the SAP typical of anti-ship missiles. The launch was usually made with the help of Electronic Support Measures (ESM) gear and Garpun radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
at a range of between 5.5 and 27 km due to the limitations of the targeting system. The Garpun's range against a destroyer was about 20 km.
The onboard sensor
Sensor
A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
was activated at 11 km from impact, the missile would begin to descend at 1-2° to the target, because the flight pattern was about 120–250 m above sea level. In minimum range engagements there was the possibility of using active sensors at shorter distances, as little as 2.75 km.
The P-15U was introduced in 1965, with improved avionics and folding wings, enabling the use of smaller containers. It was replaced by the P-15M in 1972, which was a further development of the P-15U, with enhanced capabilities (its export simplified variants were designated P-21 and P-22, depending on the sensor installed and a whole export system was designated the P-20M).
War Record
During the War of AttritionWar of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
after the Six Day War in 1967, the Israeli destroyer Eilat
HMS Zealous (R39)
HMS Zealous was a Z-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built in 1944 by Cammell Laird. She served during the Second World War, participating in operations in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast, before taking part in some of the Arctic convoys...
was sailing at low speed outside Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
on 21 October, when from 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) she was attacked by two Egyptian Komars, each firing both their missiles from inside the harbour (they were acting as a coastal missile battery). The target was hit, despite the anti-aircraft fire soon opened against the incoming 'fireballs'. The first two missiles almost blew the Eilat in two, another hit soon after, the last exploded near the wreck in the sea. Eilat sank two hours after the first attack, 47 crew were killed.
In the 1971 India-Pakistan war, P-15 (NATO name Styx) missiles were used by the Indian Navy during Operation Trident
Operation Trident (Indo-Pakistani War)
Operation Trident and its follow-up Operation Python were naval offensive operations launched on Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Operation Trident resulted in the first use of anti-ship missiles in the region, as well as the first sinking of...
. Four Styx missiles were fired, two each at PNS Muhafiz (minesweeper) and PNS Khyber (destroyer), both of which sank. The Indian Navy reportedly fired 13 Styx missiles during the war, 12 of which hit, sinking several ships and damaging the petroleum storage facilities at Karachi.
Versions
In total, the P-15 family had the following models:- P-15: A basic (SS-N-2A) with I-band, a conical search sensor and 40 km range.
- P-15M: (SS-N-2C), heavier and longer than the P-15, it had a range of 80 km and several minor improvements.
- P-15MC: Essentially a P-15M, coupled with a Bulgarian-made electronic countermeasure package for that country's navyBulgarian NavyThe Bulgarian Navy is the navy of Republic of Bulgaria and forms part of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. It has been largely overlooked in the reforms that Bulgaria had to go through in order to comply with NATO standards, mostly because of the great expense involved and the fact that naval assaults...
. - P-20L: Designed as an interim solution since the P-50 (SS-N-9 Siren) missile with a turbojet engine was still not available, this was developed with the P-15M. It was fitted with an 'L' band sensor and a new altimeter radar both developed for the P-50. (The P-50 suffered from engine problems rather than electronic ones). Since the development of a new set of electronics did not alter the P-15M airframe this was a relatively easy modification. The configuration of this missile (smaller than the P-50), did not allow for the use of a data-link. Folding wings were introduced for a smaller launch box and for submarine use. This missile was eventually known by NATO as the SS-N-7 Starbright; it was used only in Project 670/Charlie ICharlie class submarineThe Charlie class submarine is a nuclear powered cruise missile submarine built for the Soviet Navy and later operated by the Russian Navy.-Background:...
SSGNs. - P-20: A P-15 updated with the new guidance system of the P-20L, but with the original shorter range. They were perhaps known as SS-N2 B and used by Komar and Osa class boats.
- P-20K: A P-15M with a new guidance system.
- P-20M: A surface version of the P-20L with folding wings. This was the definitive version of the P-15M with radar guidance.
- P-21: The P-50 had a secondary Infra Red (IR) guidance system, this was evaluated to be as useful as the main sensor in smaller missiles; the P-15 with IR mode was called the P-21.
- P-22: Derived from the P-15M/P-20M with longer range, it also had folding wings (P-20M) and IR guidance.
The Chinese used this missile as a basis for their Silkworm
Silkworm missile
The Shang Yo or SY-series , and the Hai Ying or HY-series were early Chinese anti-ship missiles. They were derived from the Soviet P-15 Termit missile.The HY-1 and HY-2 received the NATO reporting name Silkworm...
series, with IR, radar and turbojets or rocket engines depending on the model. It had a fuselage of 75–80 cm width and a mass of over 2 tonnes. This is comparable to the 600–800 kg and 35–40 cm of Western missiles. With improved electronics, the warhead reduced to 250 kg and the original rocket engine replaced with a turbojet, this weapon was much improved with a range of over 100 km. Chinese Silkworm missiles were used in hundreds of ships and shore batteries. The Chinese Navy built more than two hundred modified versions of the 183R (Komar-class), the Hegu-class, (complete with a longer hull and an additional 25 mm mount aft) and the Osa-class. Frigates and destroyers were also equipped with the missile. Some were exported and they were used in shore batteries built for North Korea, Iraq and Iran. The Soviet Union developed an equivalent, the P-120 Malakhit.
Chinese variants:
- SY-1(C.201)(SY is the abbreviation of pinyinPinyinPinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
:Shàng Yóu, literal meaning is upper river): The original Chinese copy of P-15 as ship-to-ship missile, called as Project 544, designed and assembled by Nanchang Aerocraft Factory from 1960, first inland test flight in December 1964 and ship-mounted test-fired in August 1965, finished the resear tests in June 1966, began definitizing test from Nov 1966, permitted definitize on August 1967. it entered service during 1968 in missile boats and destroyers and later coastal batteries. Dimensions were: 6.55 m (length), 0.76 m (diameter), 2.4 m (wingspan). It weighed 2,095 kg of which 513 kg was the HEAT warhead. Its range was 40 km at mach 0.8, with a flight altitude of 100–300 m, it used inertial and active radar guidance systems. This unit employed conical scanning and was vulnerable to Electronic Counter Measures (ECM), due to its slow onboard computer. The SY-1A entered service after 1984, with a monopulse search radar comparable to the evolution of the AIM-7AIM-7 SparrowThe AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
, F to M model.
- SY-2: An improved version developed from 1976. Used the solid rocket engine and supersonics flight, smaller and lighter than SY-1, extended range to 50 km. The exported version is FL-2.
- HY-2(C.201)(HY is the abbreviation of pinyinPinyinPinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
:Hǎi Yīng, literal meaning is Sea Eagle):It was the equivalent of the P-15M, and was known as the C-SS-3 Saccade. Designed for coastal batteries, with a larger airframe, its dimensions were: 7.48 m x 0.76 m x 2.4 m, weight 2,998 kg. extended range from 30 km of SY-1 to 50 km. Trials were carried out from 1967 to 1970 with 10 missiles out of 11 hitting the target. It entered service in China and was also exported. There were several versions:- HY-2: Basic, inertial and conical radar search (improved to SY-1), 1970.
- HY-2A: IR-guidance variant. Developed during the 1970s and in 1980, it did not enter service despite certification in 1982. It was the equivalent of the P-22.
- HY-2A-II: An improved variant of the HY-2A with an improved IR sensor, it entered service in 1988. It was also available for export.
- HY-2B: Fitted with monopulse-search radar to improve accuracy and reliability, it was test-fired, scoring five hits out of six and entered service two years later in 1984. The YB-2B-II had another radar search system, entering service in 1989. These two missiles were capable of flying at an altitude of 20–50 m, so the overall capabilities (altitude, range, reliability, Electronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM) were greatly superior.
- C-201W: Fitted with a turbojet engine instead of a liquid rocket version. It was only used for export, it had a 150 km range. It is arguably also called YH-4 or C-SS-N-7 Sadpack, its dimensions are similar to the YH-1 and YH-2, but its weight is only 2,000 kg, demonstrating the differences between turbojet and rocket propulsion systems. It is capable of flying at 70 m and attacking at 8 m, with a 300–500 kg charge. The XW-41 land attack missile was extrapolated from this design, it had a range of about 400 km, (which was enough to attack Taiwan). It is not known if this model entered service.
Substitutes of these missiles are the FL-2 and FL-7, which were solid-rocket fuelled and the C-701 and C-801, which were similar to the Exocet
Exocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
and other missile systems, among them the SS-N-22
SS-N-22
SS-N-22 Sunburn is the NATO reporting name for two unrelated Soviet anti-ship missiles. Although the missiles were very different, distinguishing between them is difficult because their ship-mounted launching containers were identical. Confusion was exacerbated by the Soviet practice of mixing...
Sunburn, it was bought for Sovremenny class destroyer
Sovremenny class destroyer
The Sovremenny class destroyer is the principal anti-surface warship of the Russian Navy. Soviet designation for the class was Project 956 Sarych ....
s.
Launch platforms
This missile, despite its mass, was used in small and medium ships, from 60 to 4,000 tons, shore batteries and (only for derived models) aircraft and submarines. The main users were:- KomarKomar class missile boatThe Soviet Project 183R class, more commonly known by its NATO reporting name Komar, is a class of missile boats, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. They also hold the distinction of being the first ships to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles.- Design :The Project 183 MTB...
-class missile boats - OsaOsa class missile boatThe Project 205 Tsunami, more commonly known by their NATO reporting name Osa, are a class of missile boats developed for the Soviet Navy in the early 1960s. The Osas are probably the most numerous class of missile boats ever built, with over 400 vessels constructed for both the Soviet Navy and for...
-class missile boats - TarantulTarantul class corvetteThe Project 1241.1 Molniya are a class of Soviet missile corvettes. They have the NATO reporting name Tarantul...
-class corvettes - NanuchkaNanuchka class corvetteThe Nanuchka class was the NATO reporting name for a series of corvettes or small missile ships built for the Soviet Navy and export customers between 1969 and 1981. The Soviet designation was Project 1234 Ovod Small Missile Ship. These ships were designed around the P-120 Malakhit anti ship...
-class corvettes - KoniKoni class frigateKoni class is the NATO reporting name for a anti-submarine warfare frigate built by the Soviet Union. They were known in the Soviet Union as Project 1159. 14 were built in Zelenodolsk shipyard between 1975 and 1988. They were originally intended to replace the older Riga class frigates, but were...
-class frigates - KotorKotor class frigateThe Kotor class is the name for an anti-submarine warfare frigate built by the SFR Yugoslavia. It was developed on the basis of the Soviet Koni class, but with significant modifications and improvements...
-class frigates - The frigate MărăşeştiMarasesti (frigate)Mărășești is a frigate currently serving with the Romanian Navy, named after Mărășești, the site of a Romanian victory in World War I. Mărășești served as the flagship of the navy between 1985 and 2004, when Regele Ferdinand became the new flagship...
- KildinKildin class destroyerThe Kildin Class destroyer was a series of destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1950s. They were a missile armed version of the Kotlin class destroyer Four ships were built around the KSShch anti-ship missile. When this missile became obsolete in the 1960s, three ships were modernised...
-class destroyers - KashinKashin class destroyerThe Kashin class destroyers were a group of guided missile destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the 1960s and early 1970s. Their Soviet designation was Project 61...
-class destroyers
Cuban Missile Crisis
The first use of these weapons was in 1962, during the Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
. Komar-class missile boats were deployed in Operation "Anadyr" ("Анадырь"), organized by the Soviet Union to help the Castro government. At least eight were sent in cargo ships, due partly to their small dimensions and were presumably left to the Cuban Navy after the crisis, together with many other weapons of Soviet origin.
War of Attrition
Soviet-made P-15 missiles were used by EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
against Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in October 1967, when Egyptian Komar-class fast-attack craft sank the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat
HMS Zealous (R39)
HMS Zealous was a Z-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built in 1944 by Cammell Laird. She served during the Second World War, participating in operations in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast, before taking part in some of the Arctic convoys...
, scoring at least three direct hits. This was a milestone of modern naval warfare; for the first time anti-ship missiles displayed their potential, sinking the destroyer 17 km from Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
. After this engagement, interest in this type of weapon was raised in both offensive and defensive weapons such as the CIWS (Close-in weapon system
Close-in weapon system
A close-in weapon system , often pronounced sea-whiz, is a naval shipboard point-defense weapon for detecting and destroying at short range incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses....
) and ECM.
Indo-Pakistani War
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
, Indian Osa-class boats
Osa class missile boat
The Project 205 Tsunami, more commonly known by their NATO reporting name Osa, are a class of missile boats developed for the Soviet Navy in the early 1960s. The Osas are probably the most numerous class of missile boats ever built, with over 400 vessels constructed for both the Soviet Navy and for...
raided the port of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in 2 highly successful operations causing severe damage and sinking several ships with their P-15s, among them the destroyer, Khaibar
HMS Cadiz (D79)
HMS Cadiz was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was transferred to the Pakistan Navy in 1956, and commissioned as PNS Khaibar....
. She was a former Battle
Battle class destroyer
The Battle class were a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Built in three groups, the first group were ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. A modified second and third group, together with two ships of an extended design were planned for the 1943 and 1944...
-class destroyer, originally designed as an anti-aircraft ship. Her armament might be effective against conventional air threats, (mounting 5 × 114 mm guns and several 40 mm Bofors), but had little chance against anti-ship missiles.
These raids were meant to strike Karachi and destroy the Pakistani Navy in Western Pakistan. The first action, Operation Trident, was carried out by three Osa on the night of 5 December http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE4-4/harry.html. 'Operation Trident' involved:
- INS Nipat (Lt.-Cdr B.N Kavina, VrCVir ChakraVir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
) - INS Nirghat (Lt.-Cdr I.J Sharma, AVSMAti Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces....
, VrC) - INS Veer (Lt.-Cdr O.P Mehta, VrC, NM)
Around 20:30, a target was acquired by radar, at a distance of over 40 miles (64.4 km), and Nirghat fired two missiles. This target was the destroyer Khaibar, sailing at 20 knots (39.2 km/h). The crew of the ship saw a "bright light" in the sky, low on the water. Believing it to be the afterburner of a fighter aircraft, Khaibar opened fire with its Bofors guns, but these were not effective against such a small, fast target. The missile struck the starboard side at 22:45, destroying the electrical system. One of the boilers, possibly struck by the HEAT charge, also exploded. Despite thick smoke and a fire, Khaibar was still able to engage the second missile, again mistaking it for an enemy fighter. This missile struck the ship four minutes after the first, destroying and quickly sinking her.
During this action, Nipat attacked another two ships; the cargo vessel Venus Challenger, which was carrying ammunition from Saigon, was destroyed. Its escort, the destroyer PNS Shahjahan
HMS Charity (R29)
HMS Charity was a C-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by John I. Thornycroft and Company of Woolston, Southampton on 9 July 1943. She was launched on 30 November 1944 and commissioned on 19 November 1945...
was severely damaged and later scrapped.
Veer then attacked Muhafiz at 23:05, (she was a minesweeper that had witnessed the attacks against Khaibar); she was hit and disintegrated, throwing most of the crew into the water before she sank.
Nipat fired two missiles at the port of Karachi. This is the first known use of an anti-ship missile against land targets. Large oil tanks, identified by radar, were hit by the first missile, destroying it, while the second weapon failed. Over the following nights there were other ship actions. Karachi was again attacked with missiles, while Petja-class frigates provided ASW
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
protection to the Osa-class boats.
On the night of 8 December, in the second operation, Operation Python
Operation Python
Operation Python, a follow up to Operation Trident, was a code name of a naval attack launched on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...
, the Osa-class boat Vinash, escorted by two frigates, fired missiles at Karachi in a six minute action. One missile hit an oil tank, destroying it. The British ship Harmattan was sunk, the Panamanian ship Gulfstar was set on fire. The Pakistan Navy fleet tanker, PNS Dacca, was badly damaged and only survived because the commanding officer, Captain. S.Q. Raza S.J. P.N., ordered the release of steam in the pipes that prevented the fire reaching the tanks. Though anti-aircraft guns opened fire in response, they only managed to hit a Greek ship, Zoë, that was moored in the port and consequently sank.
In all these actions against large ships, the P-15 proved to be an effective weapon, with a devastating warhead. Out of eleven missiles fired, only one malfunctioned, giving a 91% success rate. This gave every Osa FAC
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
the possibility of striking several targets. Big ships, without any specialized defence, were targets for P-15s.
Yom Kippur War
Despite these early successes, the 1973 Yom Kippur WarYom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
saw P-15 missiles used by the Egyptian and Syrian navies prove ineffective against Israeli ships. The Israeli Navy had phased out their old ships, building a fleet of Saar class FACs
Saar 4 class missile boat
The Saar 4 or Reshef class missile boats were built at the Israel Shipyards and based on Israeli Navy designs grounded in accumulated experience derived in the operation of "Cherbourg" class....
: faster, smaller, more maneuverable and equipped with new missiles and countermeasures.
Although the range of the P-15 was twice that of the Israeli Gabriel
Gabriel missile
Gabriel missiles, created by Israel Aircraft Industries, are a range of anti-ship missiles that use the technique of sea-skimming.- Origin :...
, allowing Arab ships to fire first, radar jamming and chaff degraded their accuracy. In the Battle of Latakia
Battle of Latakia
The Battle of Latakia was a small but revolutionary naval battle of the Yom Kippur War, fought on 7 October 1973, between Israel and Syria. It was the first naval battle in history to see combat between surface-to-surface missile-equipped missile boats and the use of electronic deception.At the...
and Battle of Baltim
Battle of Baltim
The Battle of Baltim was fought between the Israeli Navy and the Egyptian Navy on October 8–9, 1973, during the Yom Kippur War. It took place off the Nile delta, between Baltim and Damietta...
, several dozen P-15s were fired and all missed. Arab ships did not posses heavy firepower required for surface combat against enemy vessels, usually only 25 and 30 mm guns, and Osa and Komar boats were not always able to outrun their Israeli pursuers. Several boats were subsequently sunk by missiles or gunfire, allowing Israel to gain sea superiority for most of the war.
Iran–Iraq War
P-15 variants, including the Chinese duplication "Silkworm", were employed by IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War, with some success. As the Iranian coastline is longer than Iraq's, control of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
was relatively easy. Shore batteries with missiles can control a large part of this area, especially around the Hormuz Strait.
Iraq also acquired Silkworms, some with an IR
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
homing capability. Iraq used them against the IRIN navy but sustained heavy losses, especially from Iranian Harpoons and Mavericks
AGM-65 Maverick
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close-air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities....
. By the way, Iraqi forces also combined SS-N-2, AS-4 Kitchen launched from Tu-22
Tupolev Tu-22
The Tupolev Tu-22 was the first supersonic bomber to enter production in the Soviet Union. Manufactured by Tupolev, the Tu-22 entered service with the Soviet military in the 1960s, and the last examples were retired during the 1990s...
, French-made Exocet
Exocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
launched from Mirage F1
Dassault Mirage F1
The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
& Super Etendard
Dassault Super Étendard
The Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard is a French carrier-borne strike fighter aircraft designed for service with the French Navy...
as well as Chinese-made Silkworm with C-601 launched from Tu-16
Tupolev Tu-16
The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has flown for more than 50 years, and the Chinese license-built Xian H-6 remains in service with the Chinese air force.-Development:...
, H-6
Xian H-6
The Xian H-6 is a license-built version of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 twin-engine jet bomber, built for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force....
bought from China to engage the battle against Iranian Navy.
Gulf War
During the Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991, Iraq fired two Silkworm missiles at the United States battleship USS Missouri
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
. One of them was shot down by Sea Dart
Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
s launched by HMS Gloucester
HMS Gloucester (D96)
HMS Gloucester was a Batch 3 Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy. The ship was built by Vosper Thorneycroft at Woolston, Southampton and launched on 2 November 1982 by The Duchess of Gloucester. HMS Gloucester was one of the modified last four of the class to be built, having a lengthened hull...
, a British Type 42 destroyer. This remains the only confirmed destruction of an anti-ship missile in wartime. (Another P-15 was believed to be shot down in 1972 off Vietnam by the USS Sterett
USS Sterett (CG-31)
USS Sterett was a Belknap-class destroyer leader / cruiser. She was the third ship to be named for Master Commandant Andrew Sterett , who served during the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Wars...
during the Battle of Dong Hoi).
Operators
The P-15 missile family and their clones were widely deployed from the 1960s. They were big and powerful weapons, but quite cheap and so made in the thousands. It is difficult even to list all the operators.United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1991, these weapons being mainly the P-15M/P-22. They were used for missile defence tests.
- Algerian National NavyAlgerian National NavyThe Algerian National Navy is the naval branch of the Military of Algeria. The navy operates from 3 bases at Algiers, Annaba and Mers-el-Kébir on the Mediterranean coast....
- Angolan Navy
- Azerbaijan NavyAzerbaijan NavyThe Azerbaijan Navy is the Naval component of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces operating in the Caspian Sea.-History:The inception of Azerbaijani Naval Forces dates back to August 5, 1918 when the government of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic established the navy force on the basis of Russian Imperial...
-started to phase this missile out
- Bulgarian NavyBulgarian NavyThe Bulgarian Navy is the navy of Republic of Bulgaria and forms part of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. It has been largely overlooked in the reforms that Bulgaria had to go through in order to comply with NATO standards, mostly because of the great expense involved and the fact that naval assaults...
- P-15MC
- Cuban Navy
- Egyptian NavyMilitary of EgyptThe Egyptian Armed Forces are the largest in Africa, and the Arab World, and is the tenth largest in the world, consisting of the Egyptian Army, Egyptian Navy, Egyptian Air Force and Egyptian Air Defense Command....
- Finnish NavyFinnish NavyThe Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"...
, retired from service.
- Indian NavyIndian NavyThe Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
- Indonesian NavyIndonesian NavyThe role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI...
- Iranian Navy
- Libyan NavyLibyan NavyThe Libyan Navy was the maritime force of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, established in November 1962. It was a fairly typical small navy with a few missile frigates, corvettes and patrol boats to defend the coastline, but with a very limited self-defence capability...
Morocco- Korean People's NavyKorean People's NavyThe Korean People's Army Naval Force is the navy of North Korea. The Korean People's Army is made up of the Ground Force, the North Korean Air Force, and the Navy. It was established on June 5, 1946. The navy strength in the 1990s was about 40,000 to 60,000; current strength is at about 46,000...
- People's Liberation Army NavyPeople's Liberation Army NavyThe People's Liberation Army Navy is the naval branch of the People's Liberation Army , the military of the People's Republic of China. Until the early 1990s, the navy performed a subordinate role to the PLA Land Forces. Since then, it has undergone rapid modernisation...
- Polish NavyPolish NavyThe Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations...
, withdrawn from combat service, 31 March 2006. They are currently used as target droneTarget droneA target drone is an unmanned, remote controlled aerial vehicle, usually used in the training of anti-aircraft crews.In their simplest form, target drones often resemble radio controlled model aircraft...
s for anti-aircraft training.
- Romanian Navy
- US Navy, experimental activities.
South Yemen- Soviet NavySoviet NavyThe Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
- Syrian Arab Navy
- Vietnam People's NavyVietnam People's NavyThe Vietnam People's Navy is part of the Vietnam People's Army and is responsible for the protection of national waters, islands, and interests of the maritime economy, as well as for the coordination of maritime police, customs service and the border defense force.-History:Following the Geneva...
- Yemen National ArmyMilitary of YemenThe armed forces of Yemen include the Yemen Army , Navy , Yemen Air Force . A major reorganization of the armed forces continues. The unified air forces and air defenses are now under one command. The navy has concentration in Aden...
- SFR Yugoslav Navy
- FR Yugoslav Navy